PHOENIX – Talk about your kodak moments: There were mirror images named Lopez in the center circle at US Airways Center, taking the jump to start the Nets-Suns game, and the only thing the moment was missing was a handshake.

It didn’t have to be a secret twin handshake — just a fist bump. Anything. An acknowledgement, maybe.

“Well, he didn’t shake my hand,” Brook Lopez whined.

The Suns won the game, 118-94, and Robin Lopez – in only his second career start – started the game by hitting four of his first five shots on his way to a 20-point, seven-rebound night.

But Brook won the matchup (26 points on 22 shots, 13 boards), and seemed to take it personally after his twin scored 10 points in the first period, mostly against a defense in rotation. So he took it out on him the old fashioned way: He exploded for a two-hand slam over Robin to give the Nets the momentum early.

“We were playing basketball. We talked on the free throw line, that was about it,” Brook Lopez. “That was too friendly for us.”

It wasn’t so competitive that everyone recognized the real significance of the night: Robin may be a terrific find for the Suns, after languishing on the second unit for so long.

“He did great,” Brook said. “He did exactly what he was supposed to do – bring the energy, bring effort. A few of those dunks gave them momentum and he did a lot of hustle things.”

“As you can see, those guys are going to be very good in this league,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “Robin is just now getting tired. He’s probably played more in these last three games than he’s played in the (previous) 30. He will continue to get better the more he plays.”

The Nets have apparently made up their minds that the only panacea will be a four-letter word: work.

Their practice on the Suns’ side court at US Airways Center Tuesday lasted nearly four hours, the players said. Kiki Vandeweghe began the session at 1 p.m., and it didn’t adjourn until 4:35, with long teaching segments led mostly by Del Harris. Then most players hung around and shot some more until they got on the bus at 4:50.

Some in the front office believe it was the longest practice in the team’s recent history.

And on Wednesday morning, it continued on the main court: The Nets went through mostly a teaching shootaround, then retreated to the locker room for the media availability segment, and then half the players – some say it was eight – went back to the court to shoot around again, which players rarely do on the road.

The thing you tend to forget about Jarvis Hayes was that he did nothing basketball related for 2 1/2 months.

So if you looked at the numbers from his first seven games since his return from a torn hamstring (5.1 points, .390 shooting, including 3-for-20 from downtown), it’s easy to reach this conclusion:

“I’m still in camp,” the Nets’ valuable wing said. “But unfortunately, time is not on my side.”

Things started to change for him against the Suns Wednesday night, when Hayes led a surge by the second unit in the second quarter before finishing with a season-high 11 points on 5-for-11.

“It’s getting better and better each game,” Hayes said. “I just have to get into a rhythm, shoot before and after practice as much as I can.”

“It’ll turn back. My shot is the last thing I’m worried about — even though I’m not hitting it like I want. I just have to strengthen my legs and it’ll come.”Dave D'Alessandro may be reached at ddalessandro@starledger.com